February/March ‘25 READS
It’s been a slow few months on the reading front. I let my attention span get berated by YouTube and Netflix. A costly mistake when it comes to keeping up with reading. To make matters worse, I struggled to find books I fell in love with. Is this a “chicken or the egg scenario?” Yes. Will you suggest books for me to read? Please yes.
Not for nothing, but I’ve read a ton of children’s books.
Shop Class as Soulcraft: An Inquiry into the Value of Work by Matthew B. Crawford
Crawford’s Shop Class as Soulcraft makes a compelling argument for the value of trades in an increasingly technology-driven world and workplace. My dad spent the better part of my life as a mechanic and garage owner— a career I showed no promise in pursuing when holding the flashlight and otherwise trying to assist my dad. My mechanical incompetency aside, I romanticize the tradesman as an artisan, admire the work they do with their hands, and relate to the elation experienced when one finally finishes a project. It’s largely how I approve my white-collar creativity. This is a thought-provoking read if you can stomach the sociological jargon. 8/10
The Ancient Minstrel by Jim Harrison
I was put onto Harrison from this Yeti documentary. The way this crew of artists and vagabonds reminesce on the good ole days inspired me to see what was available in our library’s digital catalog. “The Ancient Minstrel” was the only book available from Harrison. Oof— a rough bag content-wise, but I did enjoy his prose. The title piece reminds us there are things from the old days which we’ve got to leave there— misogyny and sexism to name a few. On the other hand, I found “Eggs” really enjoyable to read. And if the first piece offended you, skip “The Case of the Howling Buddhas” altogether. I’ve got image there’s better Harrison out there. 6/10.
In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
A physical copy of this book has been floating around my house for months after I stole it from my mother-in-law’s house. If you read my January Reads post, you’ll know I read mostly on my phone, and so I wised up and put this book on hold at the e-library. 8 weeks later it was finally available for me to trudge through. It’s well-written, the prose gets you there, and the details of the story are interesting, but this one reminded that I prefer short-stories and novellas that leave you wanting you more. 8/10.
The Shortest History of Germany by James Hawes
In anticipation of visiting Southern Germany this summer on holiday with some close friends, I borrowed this book on Libby. I find history books to get more interesting the more recent the events were. That made the first half of this book painfully long and the second half painfully short. It provided some interesting context for our upcoming travels— even if I only end up photographing landscapes and the kids. 6/10.